In the USA, I have new habits

Dear Bono,

These are some of my habits (hábitos).

I bite my fingernails, because I like the flavor. I send text messages by phone while driving and exercising. When John texts me, I correct his Spanish. I like to eat sweet potatoes (camotes). When I eat french fries (papas fritas), I only have five or six. On Sundays, I like a big breakfast, with pancakes and syrup, eggs, and hash browns. I like hot tea—very, very hot, even in summer.

When I cook, it is from memory and from instinct (instinto). I do not measure the salt or other ingredients. I just make what I am making—tortillas, tamales, salsas … I ask my friends, “Does it taste OK?” I do not taste the salsa myself. I never cook from a book, never from a recipe (receta). I remember how my abuela cooked when I was a girl. My grandmother still makes tortillas the slow way, by hand, with masa, but other women in México buy from small tortilla shops, tortillerias.

My habits in México were different. In Poza Rica, and all across México, we have five meals every day—desayuno, almuerzo, comida, merienda, cena. My friend asks me, “How do you have time?” My mother and my abuela cook all day—the kitchen does not close.

I wrote before about sweet potatoes. I like them very much for dessert (postre), and they are a common dessert in México. In Poza Rica, I remember a man who sold them from a cart that he pushed through the streets. He blew on a whistle (pito), like a referee (árbitro) in football. He served grilled sweet potatoes on small plates with condensed milk.

I remember other things. I remember when I studied in college. I liked to study at night, by myself, in the quiet of my home.

I like to read. Now I am reading La Quinta Montaña by Paulo Coelho. It is a book about the life of Elijah (Elías) from the Bible. He had many doubts (dudas), many loves, many struggles. I am like Elijah. I have traveled to new places. I follow the path (camino) where God leads me. I change paths if I have to. If I have doubts, I stay strong.

Despite (a pesar de) struggle and doubt, I have the love of my friends. I think about my birthday in May. I will rent a room and hire a 10-piece band—$1,000 for six hours. I need a good picture of you, Bono, for my cake. My friend in Reynosa will bake a large cake for me and mail it from McAllen, Texas.

You are invited to my party. But if you cannot come, I will have a big picture of you, life-size. People can take pictures of you and kiss your lovely thin lips (labios).

Un abrazo,
Karla

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